Apparatus for making wreaths



Get. 10, 1933. J. J. RATTAY 1,929,563

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WREATHS Filed April 7, 1932 2 Sheets-She et l[NI/EN 'IOR. JOSEPH J RA rm Y BY wax W A TTORNEYS.

Oct. 10, 1933. Y J. J. RATTAY 1,929,563

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WREATHS Filed April 7, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVEVTOR. JOSEPH J RA 77A v ATTORNEYS.

r a. Fig. is'adetail:

Patented Oct. 10, 1933 APP q claims} t This. invention; relates .to, an;improved ap- .paratus for; making garlands Such 21$ Christmas wreathsandv also" for making-whatis-g vcalled v ropingfir ,The;latteris11madequp of the sarne kinds. of materialxasnvreaths but-instead ofbeing arranged: in circular form, it-.isrope-like formgsuchas used'forfestooning; 1

The: idea offmy inventionis to p1ovidea work ing: apparatus; tosupplement the work; 0f. the skilled operator andv tox'thereby greatlyincrease his output. Theoperator selects the materials and Varies; theirarrangement at, his, pleasure. The division of labor is betweenthe-ioperator, who: has, a chance tocontribute all his personal skill in:the: various arrangementsg of flowers, leaves;. and stems, and themachine; which, is operable to \speedflupthe work rwhen it does; notinterfere with the operators handworlg that istogive:qualitytothefinishedproduct, Theapparatus speciallyarrangQdf-orthis purpose is shown ;in. 'the.-a ccompanying drawings; in Which-+1 v;a. .7 I. o w Fig. 1 is asideelevationiofrthe apparatus};

-Fig. 2:,isa top/view with partbof the driving beltcut away-; v ;;Fig.:,3 is a sectional vievvataltenr through the machine on the line;indicated at L3 3" Of;- Flg. V 4-; 1 Fig. 4 iS-jfl detail; sectionalview online 4-4 of Fig. l:;-. and

view. 7.: q As-shown, the apparatusis'made upof a frame :1 having a:flat top, portion dike a workg bench. The-pivoted foot? treadle 2: ismounted to: turn crank 3 and through the pulley and belt showntodrive-shaft4 on theatopvoi" the bench;.-;.T e latter may insteadbezdrivenvby an electric motor but there is' an advantage. in the-.opliatorself driving-the apparatus, as will be pointed out. vAttheother;end; oflthe bench from shait 4 a rotatableshuttle wheel 5is;-mounted. Thisshuttle is of light weightand, as-shown, is, madeofwood, in annular shape-ywith its inner periphery supported on anarch-shaped metal piece fi extendingl upwardly; throughgan opening inthe T bench. The shuttlesupport 6' is supported at the bottom- 0f thebench by being fastened tora metal strap I (Fig;- 3') which} beingbolted to the bench, has an end projectingirom the bottom sideof theopeningfor the shuttle and is -there fastened to strap-fiiaonwitsqinnerperiphery. This leaves the strap-free-on its: outer periphery toreceive, supp t; nd? ide ;th u ehe top ,of strap 6- there is a' o shapedguide: 8: (see Fig. 3=) to extend up and adjacent one sideof theshuttle,

7 over the: top and down the opposite sidesa, surfi- V me was: Joseplr'Jl ltaittayi v sw m it 32; steam se r oient distance, to act asl guideroadie shuttle and ak r; fo th li m fib b l 5-- H 1 8, as shown;isspaoed slightly from the parts ,to avoid constant friotion and avoids.any accidental moving. of the shuttle. and beltf cnitfof alignment and;sidewise.- M v p I "I t The shuttle 5; nasa ate portionhingedljat (seeFig.; 5 with-a keeper hook By. movime t s et $9 it; .cmbeown b n-t e flit i be t 1 firsule 90 nb r ad ed in the shuttle or a finished garland beremoved from threaded engagement with the shuttle. :The shuttle: also;has sheet metal spool holder 'made in U -f orm'vwith the legs havingopenings tozgreceive the endsjof a rod carrying the spool-2 These endsean be. inserted in the bearing holes by slightly springing apart the;legs of the holder I A s'p oo l. tensioning device 22 inthe foin of athreaded boltrnounte'd on the, shuttle, as shown, l isadjustable-impress n 118g, o heho der a nst-f i n h spool; for thedesired frictional resistance to the v at on; he br t t ns o t e 3 i hev shu w n n ra n, t 1 be Foroonveniently' filling the spool a 23 11a, isvot & ihl in j nd:

in to holdnt t s lu n r c l d iy n -r elt.- tion witlnthedrivingpulleyfior loelt 1 5. ;-The

position shown against thee tendency, of the spring When spool 21needs-winding it is put .inholder 23; in: the same way as .inholder 45,a Wire filled thread 2'7, or alternatively a cotton thread 28; leadingvrespectively from supply ..spools 29 or 32: mounted :On 3 Sh B1; l1 l1 Lthe ra c ni r ed up h u h. n q aop rj ins fifia do st ne 11t 1 barr -o.21m h!- er ,23 is I released frorni hookg' 2d 'f iJrQthe,v spool .torest ionithe pulley and for rotationby. thel pi lley until filled.Thesupply-is. then cutoffand; a .wooden plug 33-inc one hole {and 34 inthe other) ,pinohes the end ofthe supply thread in convenient position'for the next windingopera- -tion,. The filled spool is thenput-on theshuttle and holder' 2-3 again put on hook 26- ina inoperative position;v Thisarrangernente of the spool winding; mechanism, on I thebench;,betw t fl t *;b t r a on b the shuttle driving mechanism, andwith. a feecl jl ol-hq ia wir .eit eria; sc eensaging wire support for awreath or a portion of an indefinite length of wire for a roping) inposition for the workman to place flowers or leaves around it and forthe shuttles operation in binding them to the wire for support) Iprovide a pair of elevated abutments 51 and 52, see Fig. 3. Theseabutments are located on opposite sides of the opening through the benchprovided for the string or wire from spool 21 to pass through as ittravels with the shuttle to wind over the supporting wire that carriesthe leaves or flowers. Abutment 51 is preferably located in the plane ofthe shuttle 5. Abutment 52 is spaced a short distance toward the treadleside of the bench where the workman stands. The idea is to have theabutments positioned so the workman can place the stems of the leavesand flowers to rest on abutment 51 with the foliage supported byabutment 52 and a short length of stem between abutment 51 and the planeof the binding wires rotation as it feeds from the spool to bind thestems. In Fig. 4 I have shown (in dotted line) a wire positioned in theapparatus for making a wreath. The hook 90'may be turned into positionto hold the outer end of the wire core from getting out of place duringwinding. The spaced suports 53, 54, and 55 are arranged with abut-'ments 51 and 52 to normally support a garland or wreath in the makingwhile in horizontal position. From such position the workman can lift itand tip it and move it around by hand as will be pointed out. All thesesupports including the abutments 51 and 52 space the wreath well abovethe bench so the workman may get at all sides of the core in buildingthe wreath.

In Fig. l I have indicated a pivoted knife normally held up by a spring.The operator usesthis as a convenient chopper, to cut off the stems ofhis flowers or foliage so as to fit them for placing and spacing on thecore wire, with the stem ends resting on abutment 51 and with thefoliage the proper distance with respect to the winding plane. Bothabutments 51 and 52 have their opposing faces curved (see Figs. 2 and 3)so as to guide the binding string without catching and at the same timeto leave hand space for the workman to apply the flower buildingmaterial from the sides and underneath.

The wire core 71 for making roping is carried on a supply spool mountedon the shelf 11 under the bench (see Fig. 1). Its end may be kept readyat hand by being pinched in a bench hole by plug 73 (Fig. 3) in linewith abutments 51 and 52.

Whether a circular core wire for a wreath or a straight core wire 71 isused in the apparatus, such wire is arranged to be conveniently movedstep by step and by hand across the space between abutments 51 and 52where the application of the foliage to the core is made by the workmanand where the binding thread or wire is wound on by the rotatableshuttle. The position of the skilled workman is where he can operate thepivoted treadle 2, pick up foliage from a supply arranged in bunches ona convenient belt conveyer 91 (shown partially in Fig. 2) by unskilledworkmen. The skilled workman applies the foliage to the core wire in theapparatus and operates the treadle to turn the shuttle and thus bind thefoliage stems on the core wire.

The spirit of the apparatus disclosed is to so arrange the parts thatthe operator can control the quality of the product. The foliage is nota raw material of uniform nature, but of constantly varying kind. Onthis account the skilled operator is highly desirable so as to make themost of his available raw material and to have his artistic skillevidenced in the finished product by the most appropriate arrangement ofthe foliage (of flowers and/or leaves, berries, etc.).

The particular apparatus is useful not only to speed up the skilledoperators work but in the following more important ways with regard toretaining the quality of the skilled operators work. The arrangement ofabutments 51 and 52 with relation to the core wire is such that theoperator can arrange the foliage by hand exactly where it will be mostappropriately positioned on the core wire. The binding wire isconveniently rotatable around the core wire exactly where the operatordetermines it can be best applied. This is determined by the handplacement of the core wire in its step-by-step movements relative to thewinding plane. The op erator can work with his hands on both sides andfrom the top or bottom ofthe core wire. Sometimes he wants to turn thebinding wire on rapidly and sometimes slowly, sometimes with more orless tension, sometimes with more or less pitch between the turns. Heapplies the foliage according to the skill of his hand arrangement. Heoperates the apparatus by foot power or he can turn the shuttle veryslowly by hand, which is sometimes desirable, and at all times he seesand controls the arrangement of the foliage as it is bound intopermanent relation to the core wire.

There is an advantage in mounting the shuttle on the arc-shaped strap 6,as described. It is not desirable to rotate the shuttle rapidly andcontinuously because that would not give the operator a chance to buildthe foliage on the core to the bestadvantage. Preferably the shuttle isoperated intermittently and it is desired to avoid such a momentum inthe movement that would make it difiicult to stop it for the progressivesteps in the arrangement of the foliage with respect tothe core andbinding wire. By building the shuttle of light weight'construction suchas wood and having it mounted for support and for frictional contactwith the strap 6 and rather loosely mounted thereon, the operator caneasily stop the winding wires rotation at any point desired and easilystart it up again. Fig. 5 shows where it has been stopped for theshuttle gate to be opened, a finished wreath to be removed and a newcircular core wire to be inserted.

One feature of the apparatus is that it is constructed with the idea ofthe workmans-operation by hand or foot to the end that better work canbe accomplished. The apparatus is designed to assist the workman inthose steps which can be more conveniently carried out as a meremechanical operation and to enable the workman to apply practically allhis time and skill in directing the quality of the work. The result isthat much better work is obtained by the use of the apparatus than canbe obtained by a power driven automatic machine where the workman isonly a machine tender and much more work of the desired high quality canbe obtained than if a skilled workman did not have the machine to speedup his personal skill.

Apparatus of the character described is usually and best used in thecountry districts where the raw material is plentiful. The product is aseasonal one and is ordinarily made up by the country people, many ofwhom have acquired real skill-in their hand work. During most of theyear they work at other tasks but around Christmas time concentrate onwreaths and roping. These people are not ordinarily available forfactory work. They are handicraft workers. My apparatus is planned as aninexpensive work bench having particular combinations of elements foroperation by such workers during their rush season. It can be set upanywhere and gives the handicraft worker who uses one a great advantagein the particular trade for which it is designed.

Having described the apparatus in its preferred form I claim as myinvention:

1. In an apparatus having a belt-driven rotatable annular shuttlecarrying a spool for winding thread to bind foliage on a wire core, thecombination of an arc-shaped member in constant frictional contact withthe interior periphery of the shuttle and spaced abutments to support acore wire and foliage in horizontal position for the binding operation,said abutments being so shaped as to permit the hand arrangement of thefoliage on all sides of the core wire both during and between rotatablemovements of the shuttle.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said abutments arespaced substantially equal distances in opposite directions from thewinding plane of the binding thread as it is applied to the core.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 and belt means to drive theshuttle, said shuttle having a gate operable to open between the flightsof said belt, and a support also located between the flights of the beltfor maintaining an annular core wire when resting on said abutments inhorizontal position.

i. The combination in a foliage wrapping apparatus a workmans bench, anopening therein, a support extending from the under side of saidopening, an arc-shaped member on said support, an annular shuttlerotatably mounted on said member with its axis spaced above the workbench, spaced abutments on opposite sides of said opening tohorizontally support a core wire extending through said axis whereby theworkman at the bench may arrange foliage on all sides of the wire and inwrapping relation to the shuttles rotation and means operable by theworkman at the bench to rotate said shuttle for the wrapping operation.

5. The combination in a wreath making apparatus a workmans bench, aseries of spaced and circularly arranged supports for suspending awreath in a horizontal plane above the work bench, an opening in thebench, an annular normally closed shuttle carrying a spool of bindingthread mounted to extend through said opening with its axissubstantially tangent to a wreath on said supports, a gate to open saidshuttle for threading a wreath core and taking a wreath out of windingrelation to the shuttle, said supports and shuttle being so arrangedwith respect to the work bench that a workman at the bench has access toa wreath core on all sides to apply foliage, to intermittently move thecore through a complete rotation by hand, and power multiplying meansoperable by the workman at the bench to rotate said shuttle in relationto the intermittent movements of the core.

6. The combination in an apparatus to bind foliage on a core wire, aworkmans bench, an annular shuttle carrying a binding filament, a pairof core wire supports arranged closely adjacent and on opposite sides ofthe shuttles winding plane for said filament, said supports extendingabove the bench for a core wire to rest in horizontal position thereonas it extends through the axis of said shuttle, one of said supportsbeing positioned close to the winding plane so as to have the bindingwire applied to the foliage stems when their ends are placed on suchsupport, said parts being arranged so as to permit the workman to movethe core wire at any time and to apply foliage to all sides of such wireand determine at what part of the core wire the binding filament isapplied, and means operable by the workman to rotate said shuttle.

7. The combination in a wreath making machine, a workmans bench havingan opening through the Working surface, a circular strap membersupported from the bottom of the bench and extending through saidopening, an annular shuttle resting loosely on said strap member forrotatable support, a belt extending around said shuttle so as to driveit like a pulley, driving means for said belt operable by the workman atthe bench, supporting means on which a core wire threaded through theaxis of said shuttle may be suspended in horizontal position above thework bench with freedom to be moved at any time by the workman, eitherduring the shuttles rotation to change the position for application ofthe shuttles binding thread or for him to apply foliage on all sides ofthe core wire.

8. The combination in a wreath making machine a workmans bench, pulleysat opposite ends one of which is constructed as an annular shuttle forcarrying binding thread or wire, a gate in the shuttle pulley operableto open between the flights of the belt, each pulley having its lowerpart extending through the bench to locate the lower flight of the beltbelow tie bench and the axis of the shuttle pulley closer to but spacedabove the working surface of the bench, means on the bench at theshuttle pulley end to suspend a core wire extending through the axis ofthe shuttle pulley for winding the binding wire thereon, such suspensionpermitting the workman to arrange the foliage prepared at the bench, onall sides of the core wire, said core wire being movable solely by theworkman, power translating devices operable solely by the workman fordriving said shuttle and belt.

9. The combination of claim 8 and means operable by the surface of thepulley not used for the shuttle, to wind binding thread or wire on theshuttle spool.

10. The combination in a wreath making machine an apparatus comprising aworkmans bench having a pulley driven winding shuttle,

means to guide a wire core into threaded relation to the axis of theshuttle and in suspended condition above the bench for the workman toapply foliage exactly where it is desired to have it bound on the coreby the shuttles rotation, supply spools for core wire and bindingfilament rotatably mounted under the bench, retaining means to hold theends of such supply extending from the top of the bench, the core wirein line with the shuttle opening and the building means in line with ashuttle spool winding device, said device comprising a driving pulleyhaving a belt drive to said shuttle and a spool holder normally held outof position between the flights of the driving belt.

JOSEPH J. RATTAY.

